Handheld portable bar code scanners having pistol-type grips are generally well-known. Some such pistol-grip portable scanners are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,200,597, “Digitally Controlled System For Scanning And Reading Bar Codes” issued to Eastman, et al. on Apr. 6, 1993, U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,505, “Holder For Handheld Portable Bar Code Scanner” issued to Walts, et al. on Apr. 16, 1996, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,531, “Hand Held Bar Code Scanning Device Having A Manually Operated Optical Trigger Switch” issued to Murphy on Nov. 19, 1996, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. These and other portable scanners are often protected by rugged impact-resistant plastic housings for use in the field, for example, in warehouses, factories, and storerooms. Such field environments, however, are often hazardous for electronic devices, even when housed in rugged plastic. Portable devices are easily misplaced, and if set down in a traffic area, may become lost or crushed under vehicles or inventory.